roan

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   having a coat in which white hairs are evenly mixed with hairs of a darker base color

   A roan mare grazed beside the gray gelding.

2. 2
   noun

   an animal, especially a horse or cow, with a roan coat

   The rancher saddled the red roan for the morning ride.

3. 3
   noun

   soft sheepskin leather dyed and finished to resemble morocco leather

   The volume was bound in polished red roan.

From Middle French roan, probably through Spanish roano and Old Spanish raudano; the deeper origin is uncertain but may be Germanic and related to words for red. The leather sense refers to sheepskin colored to imitate fine morocco.

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